Gender Differentiation

If you keep more than one lizard of the same kind,
and have some knowledge of your particular species in
general, you always have the option of breeding them.
Successful breeding can be difficult, and can only be
done under exceptional living conditions. If successful,
you can be satisfied that you have created the perfect
habitat for your lizard. You should also take pride in
the fact that you are aiding in keeping these beautiful
creatures abundant in our world.

Gender

First off, you will obviously need a male and a female
of the same species to successfully breed. Females need
special attention to their care. If your female is already
pregnant, changes to her environment can have drastic
effects on her. It can affect her eating habits, drinking
habits, mobility and can stress her enough so that she
becomes egg-bound.
You must also remember that some species of lizards
are parthenogenetic,
meaning the females can develop eggs without the sperm
of a male. The eggs are not fertile, and will not develop
offspring, but the circumstances and care of the female
still needs to remain the same.

Male of Female?

With some species of lizards, it is easy
to determine the sex of the animal. In many cases, external
markings will differ between the sexes. They are more
easily spotted when the lizard is mature. Spotting these
differences between hatchlings and even some juveniles
can be difficult. Many males of different species will
grow different sizes of flaps or combs on their heads,
throats, tails or on their backs. Many species will also
be colored differently between the sexes, with the males
being much brighter and showing a wider range of colors.Preanal
or femoral pores
are more common with males, but some females have them
as well. These pores are located around the base of the
tail where the cloacal vent is located. If the female
has these pores, they are far less distinctive. It is
much easier to determine the sex if you have two lizards
of the same age/size. You can also tell, though with more
difficulty, from skull and tail sizes and shapes.